Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.
It is common practice to feed domestic animals such as cats and dogs by using food dishes or bowls. In areas where ants and other crawling insects are prevalent a trail of insects may form from the area surrounding the bowl to the food located therein. Contamination by insects causes the food to go to waste.
Various approaches are known to address this problem. For example, one common approach is to locate the pet bowl in a shallow dish which is filled with water to thereby form a moat that the insects cannot cross. A problem with this arrangement is that while feeding the pet may cause the water to splash on the surrounding ground. A further problem is that food in the dish may spill into the surrounding water and thereby foul it so that it needs to be frequently replenished.
Other approaches to address the problem have also been documented in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,800 there is described a pet bowl assembly which includes a base with a central support section around which a circuit of insect barrier is located. The base supports a detachable food bowl which is secured to the base by hook and loop fastening system.
However, a considerable amount of insect deterrent must be used to surround the base. Furthermore, the base is of relatively small diameter so that the stability of the bowl is called into question. A further problem is that the bowl must be custom built for the base.
It would be advantageous if a bowl assembly were provided that overcame the problems of the prior art that are discussed above or which was at least a useful alternative to those bowl assemblies that have hitherto been know and which are designed to address the problem of food contamination by crawling insects.